Vanilla Creme Caramel with Pistachio Brittle
Get some love today
Making this recipe always brings me back to when I first moved into my current house. I was in a chaotic state with very little inspiration to start cooking anything fun. I wan’t in the mood to cook anything really. I knew I needed to start somewhere and somewhere simple. But also something that would allow me to improve little by little each time.
Enter creme caramel. I grew up hating flan like many of us in the US when served at a birthday party instead of cookie cake as a “fun alternative.” So after enough spite I sought to forgive to give this dish some credit and start making it regularly. It is now my favorite dessert.
I make it for birthdays and special occasions but just as often for myself. Creme caramel is one of the most generous acts of self-love you can give. So make creme caramel, roast a chicken, drink really high quality Riesling and disengage your spoke detectors for a day. You deserve it.
Serves 6
Necessaries
6* 6-oz ramekins
Sheet pan with silicone baking mat or greased parchment paper
Candy thermometer or kitchen thermometer
Caramel
1 cup sugar
¼ cup water
Custard Cream
2 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
500g whole milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, scraped of its seeds
70g granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
Brittle
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp Sugar
1 tbsp corn syrup
2 tbsp water
1/4 cup butter
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups roasted pistachios (or nut of choice)
Recipe
Make the brittle.
Set aside a sheet pan with a silicone baking mat or greased parchment paper.
In a saucepan, combine sugar, water and corn syrup. Turn on medium heat and stir with a wooden spoon to combine until dissolved. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally and cook for 2 more minutes. Add butter and stir in with a wooden spoon. Continue to cook the mixture until it reaches 275 degrees F.
Add in baking soda, salt, and vanilla. The mixture will change texture and become slightly foamy. Add pistachios and stir to incorporate. Immediately pour out onto prepared baking mat and let cool completely. Once cooled. Break up and crush into a course powder (or leave chunky) and set aside.
Make the caramel.
In a medium sauce pot, add sugar and water. Stir on medium heat until dissolved. Take a pastry brush and some water and brush down the sides to get rid of excess sugar. After it comes to a boil, do not stir and continue to cook on medium heat until an amber caramel forms. It should smell like lightly burnt popcorn.
Once your caramel is complete, remove from heat and pour into ramekins enough to coat the bottom evenly. Work quickly as the caramel will begin to harden. Use all of the caramel. Set aside to cool completely.
Make the custard.
Heat milk and vanilla in a small saucepan until just simmering. In a separate heatproof bowl, whisk together eggs, eggs yolks, sugar, and salt. Begin to pour in the hot milk one ladle full at a time until all has been added. Strain the liquid into a container with a pourable spout. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Make the creme caramel.
You need a humid environment for baking creme caramel, not a water bath. Placing the ramekins in a water bath before baking is a perfectly good method to ensure an even cook. But the reason for the water is mainly for encouraging humidity so that there is no cracking on the surface of the custard. As long as you oven has even heating, then I recommend setting the custards on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and adding hot water underneath, just enough to cover the pan.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Once the caramel and custard are cooled, pour custard into the ramekins, leaving about 1/2 inch space from the top. Place ramekins on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Pour just enough hot water in the pan to cover the bottom. Carefully transfer to oven on the middle rack and bake for 25-35 minutes. This will depend on your oven but there should still be a very slight jiggle in the center. Do not let them brown. Keep an eye on it.
Remove from oven and let cool completely. Once cooled completely. Cover with plastic wrap and let child overnight (24 hours is the sweet spot). This allows the caramel to dissolve into the custard and make for an easier removal. When ready to serve, run a small paring knife around the edge of the custard until you see it loosen and caramel come up from the sides.
Turn out onto a place sprinkle with pistachio brittle crumbs!
Enjoy!
You’re the best.